Days after the Council of Europe (CoE) suspended Russia’s rights of representation following the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has withdrawn from the pan-European human rights body, announcing it would no longer participate in its work.
The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed in its statement that EU and NATO states, unfriendly to Russia, are abusing their absolute majority in the Committee of Ministers of the CoE (CMCE), accusing them of destroying the council as well as the common humanitarian and legal expanse in Europe.
The Ministry accused NATO and EU countries of undermining the European body and made it clear that Russia does not want to put up with the subversive actions the West is carrying out imposing rules-based order to replace international law that is being trampled by the US “its satellites”.
Moscow also does not want to participate in the transformation of the oldest European organization into another incantations’ platform of Western superiority and narcissism.
According to Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, Moscow’s departure from the human rights body would also allow Russia to reintroduce the death penalty.
EU officials believe that Moscow’s move was a preemptive action to avoid a vote in which it could suffer a humiliating expulsion since most members of the CoE vehemently oppose the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
COE suspended Russia’s rights of representation on 25 February, the day after the Russian army invaded Ukraine, by a vote in which only Serbia and Azerbaijan did not attend but did not exclude Russia from the Council.
That way, Russia remained a party to relevant CoE conventions, including the European Convention on Human Rights, and the judge tasked with Russia would continue dealing with cases issued against the country.
CoE representatives condemned on Wednesday the Russian unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine and reiterated their unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country within its internationally recognized borders.
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